(Orion, Starbucks and Haitai)
Fueled by support from loyal fans of its fresh and sweet flavor, mint chocolate is going mainstream in Korea.
Snack firm Orion said Thursday it has released the Mint Choco Pie -- a minty take on its internationally popular snack.
The limited edition of the snack, which is made of cacao biscuits covered in mint syrup and mint chocolate will be sold only this summer. Vanilla cream was added to Choco Pie’s signature layer of marshmallow to increase the sense of mintiness, the firm said.
“The Mint Choco Pie is the appealing mix between juicy and strong cacao and the fresh taste of mint that will spread in your mouth,” one representative said in a statement.
Orion said the new snack marks the “growing interest in mint chocolate flavor among consumers as of late.”
Once the realm mostly of ice cream, mint chocolate was not previously a flavor pursued by Korean snack firms.
Known as “Minchodan,” which translates to a “mint chocolate army” in Korean, enthusiasts of the flavor have gained presence online in recent years, sharing and praising companies for producing minty, chocolaty snacks and drinks.
Haitai Confectionery and Foods also unveiled a seasonal edition of its chocolate cake Oh Yes in a mint chocolate flavor earlier this week.
Minty Oh Yes comes after the company asked users via social media to vote on the next flavor they most wanted. Users decisively opted for mint chocolate, the firm said.
“With strong support from a loyal fandom of mint chocolate, it has now become a popular flavor,” a representative at the company said.
Haitai further explained that it used electronic nose technology to strike the right balance in its minty aroma, so that even those not familiar with the sensation could enjoy its new chocolate cake.
Yet not everyone is on board with the trend.
“The new mint chocolate flavored Oh Yes has crossed the line,” one viral tweet reads, expressing subtle disapproval.
But the tweet was soon swarmed by loyal mint chocolate fans.
“It looks delicious,” one tweet read in response, while another user said, “Even Oh Yes went there.”
In a further sign of the boom in the food and beverage industry, Starbucks Korea released its Mint Chocolate Chip Blended drink. The iced beverage sold over 500,000 cups in nearly two weeks, according to the company.
By Yim Hyun-su (
hyunsu@heraldcorp.com)